Never before in the field of horseracing endeavour has one event attracted so much attention from so many with so many fingers being pointed at so few. That is the lingering memory of the 2012 Avis Coach Charter International Jockeys’ Challenge. But for heaven’s sake, we have got to learn, laugh and move on now.
It is a strange reality that in the 18 odd years since the opening of our minds and borders and the dawning of this rather puzzling democracy of ours, we really have been spoilt for choice when it comes to entertainment – particularly music and sport.
Today we take it for granted that the Soccer World Cup was held here and the likes of international acts such as Bon Jovi, U2, Cold Play, Roxette, the Eagles and Robbie Williams arrive without even hitting the papers.
In the sixties and seventies I recall my father getting over-excited by the prospect of just going around the corner to watch the Hellenic-Cape Town City Derby at Hartleyvale on a Friday evening or seeing the likes of Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck at the Three Arts Theatre in Plumstead.
The Bull Brand Jockeys International also attracted quite a buzz in the 1970’s.
But that was a different world and then we weren’t spoilt by live televised horseracing from all over the world and seeing top jockeys like Fernando Toro, Joe Mercer and Lester Piggott in the flesh was something we cherished and appreciated.
So does the international jockey test concept currently work in this global village age of techno overindulgence and superficial materialistic beings?
Personally, I am not convinced entirely that the present team format works.
It feels a touch contrived and almost as if the participants (particularly the locals) are feigning the lust to win. Maybe we need more money at stake and smaller teams to add genuine needle?
What about even getting some of our middle of the table jockeys involved – the top guys earn too much money to really appreciate it anyway. The real competitors like Sherman Brown, Brandon Lerena and Aldo Domeyer would grab the opportunity with both hands.
Then the national anthems might trigger the heart strings, but is it not overkill?
The anthems were also spoilt a touch by some of the SA Jockeys giggling on the podium. That said plenty and Muzi Yeni seemed to be the only guy singing.
The rules also need a relook.
The SA Captain wanted a substitution as he apparently had a plane to catch, but the trainer involved objected and withdrew his horse. Thank goodness for the intervention of mother nature and the Highveld weather!
Then what does the competion actually do to promote horseracing and boost betting turnover?
While there is undoubted excitement at ground level, it does not quite do enough judging by the betting turnover. I canvassed a few opinions from the R2 swinger punters in the local tote. Most of them knew about the test but didn’t know too much else.
The dissemination of the progressive scores needs more attention than the Tellytrack presenter sitting with a calculator in the studio. We need an electronic scorecard at the very least.
The more middle class punters had reservations about riding styles and the impact on present and future form in view of the jockeys not knowing their mounts.
But that’s my personal assessment. I approached Racing Association CEO Larry Wainstein and Vee Moodley for comment on the success or otherwise of this past weekend’s tournament.
Phumelela Betting Executive Vee Moodley, who must drive his lovely wife crazy with his ever present Blackberry, was the first to revert to me.
Moodley said that betting turnovers on both Friday and Sunday from a Phumelela Gaming and Leisure perspective was very poor and quite disappointing. “ I am of the opinion that being mid month and previously held as it was on the second Saturday in November had a detrimental impact. The current unstable weather patterns and uncertainty for punters as to whether we will start and complete meetings is another consideration. Momentum is critical when measuring turnovers and we unfortunately have not been able to get the necessary momentum going” he said.
As a freelancer, I don’t need to do any pandering up to anybody but I must say hats off to Racing Association CEO Larry Wainstein for even talking to anybody who remotely resembles a member of the non-operator media.
Purely my personal opinion, but it is common cause that Larry placed himself in the limelight with a rather ill-considered surprise attack on individuals on a Tellytrack programme a few weeks ago, and somehow unwittingly started a charging crazy bull that could only see the dapper man in the bright red suit.
The incident really just proved that nobody is ever too old to learn.
The International Jockeys’ Challenge has been Larry’s baby since its inception and in the past few weeks he stood loyally by like a proud father as the child was mocked and ragged.
But he was willing to talk to a representative of a newspaper that has pulled no punches in reporting the matter.
Larry said that the crowd attendance over both the meetings was up on last year.
He was not prepared to go into the withdrawn horse and substitute jockey matter and save for labelling it ‘unacceptable’ said that this was a National Horseracing Authority matter.
He assured me that the perception that the competitive needle was not genuine was wrong.
“ Believe me, both teams do not want to lose,” he said.
Larry said that Joao Moreira was the big drawcard at the end of the day.
“ I was asked by Jimmy Fortune as to how we managed to get it right to bring him out. Fortune said that Moreira was a very special rider and a unique personality. This is quite something coming from a peer in a competitive sport,” he said
Would the event happen again?
“ I have addressed the broad issues and have asked the key players whether it is worth doing again. The answer was an overwhelming yes and while I acknowledge that we need to tweak the finer aspects, we intend to take it further afield next year. I saw the excitement and enthusiastic reception by the punters at Scottsville when Joao Moreira turned up on course. That was enough to say that we need to take it to other centres as we grow it,” he said.
